The Forbidden Prodigy
by tenneyshoes
Summary: Earth Princess Toph Bei Fong has never been seen by her people. As a blind princess, she is to be protected. But she will soon come of age and become a ruler in her own right. The only problem: she is a bender. And no ruler can be a bender.
1. The Princess

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANYTHING AVATAR!**

**Okay, so I know I should update NOJY but this started bouncing around in my head tonight and I want to get it out. So this might be by big thing for a while. At least until more people review on NOJY and Shelby says that if you don't review I should hit you over the head with a bat. And I just might, so I suggest you review. Anyways this is an AU so Enjoy.**

**Tenneyshoes**

A girl of fourteen opened her eyes. It was useless though, since she was blind. Toph Bei Fong was the princess of the entire Earth Kingdom. And she hated it. Her father never let her outside the palace gates. She hadn't even been to the highest ring of the capital of the Earth Kingdom, the great stronghold of Ba Sing Se, or so her parents thought.

Toph stood and walked into her closet. She put her hand on the wall. Her father had an inventor come to the palace when they had discovered the princess was blind at her birth. The inventor was a genius, who had an equally brilliant son, but he spent most of his time messing off. Teo, the inventor's son was a brilliant boy, who loved flying, pranks, and every other thing that was against the rules. He was also stuck in a wheel-chair. Which was one reason him and Toph had been friends practically since birth. Two people with disabilities that acted like they didn't have them.

The inventor had designed an alphabet for the blind. All the person had to do was run their fingers over a series of bumps and they could read just like any other person. (I know it's called Braille or however you spell that, but I'm not very creative. Sorry) Toph ran her fingers over the bumps and read where her favorite dress was.

The blind girl walked farther into her closet and found the dress. It was a simple but beautiful emerald green dress, like most Earth Kingdom cloths. The emerald was complimented by yellow ribbons tied around the upper arms. There was also a green and yellow ribbon that wound around the waist as a belt. The neckline a modest v neck with a yellow shirt under it.

Toph carried the dress out into the main part of her room. There she found her best friend Teo.

"What are you doing in here so early?" asked the blind girl. Toph may be blind but she had a unique way of seeing. Vibrations. (Everyone knows this so I'm not gonna bother explaining it. If you don't know go find another story that does explain it, and find out there.)

"Just thought I would come and see my best friend today, I didn't know it was a crime."

"Aren't you a rotten liar? My parents sent you to get me didn't they?" Toph asked as she laid the dress out carefully on her bed.

"Yeah, sorry. Apparently today is all about your suitors." Teo wheeled over to Toph and picked up one of the sleeves on the elegant dress, inspecting it carefully.

"But I still have two years before I have to get married," whined the girl. "And I haven't been outside this dang palace to meet anyone that actually likes me without knowing I'm a princess."

"Now who's the rotten liar? We snuck out of here last night." And this was true. Toph and Teo snuck out of the palace a lot.

When the two were both five, Toph was fed up with being pampered, and followed everywhere by her bodyguards, or as she like to call them "shadow guards". Because that was really what they were. Her shadow. They didn't intervene unless the princess was in danger.

So Toph and Teo had decided to sneak out. Toph was a gifted Earthbender. A complete prodigy. But royalty was forbidden to bend. It was an old law that had been around for centuries. The people were afraid a bending family on the throne could become a dictator and not be stopped.

When Toph discovered her forbidden talent she had started to hone it secretly. Teo was the only one that knew she could bend. At least the only one in the palace. When the two had snuck out, they had stumbled upon a bending tournament. All benders welcome. Air, Fire, Water, and Earth bender all competed for the pedestal and throne.

Toph and Teo had watched and a year later when the young princess was six, she entered in the tournament and had topped the rankings ever since. And the good thing about being a blind princess with over protective parents, was the only people that knew what she looked like where the ones that worked in the palace. Not even her suitors were allowed to see her. They talked through a sheet.

Toph smiled as she remembered the night before. She had gone to the tournament and beat the snot out of an incompetent firebender. He had underestimated the reigning champion and thought he could beat her without much effort. He was quickly corrected.

Toph had beat him within the minute the gong was rung.

Toph walked into her bathroom while Teo waited. The young princess walked back out dressed in the beautiful dress, brushing out her long black hair.

The princess had more unique qualities than just being an amazing blind bender. She looked more Fire Nation than Earth Kingdom. While most Earth Kingdom citizens were tan and had dark or light brown hair, Toph had skin that looked almost like porcelain. Her hair was midnight black.

The only trait that really stuck to the Earth Kingdom was her green eyes. But even those looked different. Her blindness fogged her eyes, making them a sea-foam green, instead of a bright emerald.

Toph wrapped her long hair up into a scruffy bun. She put the brush down on her bedside table, and along with Teo walked out of her room to find her parents.

The two friends met the King and Queen of the Earth Kingdom in the throne room. Toph's mother walked over to her and started fussing about tiny details that no one else would notice, trying to make her rebel daughter look perfect.

"Toph, I really wish you would leave your hair down. It's so beautiful, it really is a shame you keep it up. Except those bangs. I wouldn't mind you tying _those_ back at all."

Toph's blind eyes were covered by her overgrown black bangs, but she really didn't care, seeing as how they didn't mess with her vision at all.

"Mother, it doesn't matter what I look like," said the princess swatting her mother's hands away from her. "No one is going to see me anyways."

"Actually," Toph's father had apparently decided to join in the conversation, "Prince Zuko, and Princess Azula of the Fire Nation, and Prince Sokka, and Princess Katara of the Water Tribe are coming to for a visit."

Toph and Teo jolted in the direction of the King. "Are you serious? They are really coming?" Toph was best friends with the four other royal children. Azula could be a brat sometimes, but most of the time she was civil and actually pretty nice. (Yes Azula is going to me majorly OOC)

Toph and Teo hadn't seen their friends in over a year. The two were already planning how to sneak the others out of the palace when a guard came in and announced, "My Lord, the princess's first suitor of the day is here."

Toph groaned, it was going to be along day.

**Okay, so yeah this is really short, and tell me if you like it. This was just kind of bugging me today when I was in church. So give me suggestions, tell me if I should get my butt in gear and just work on NOJY, and reviewers DON'T SWEAR! It's annoying as heck! So if you review you get the usual reward, a giant cookie, maid by the one and only… YOU! So get YOUR butts in gear and review.**

**Tenneyshoes**


	2. The champion

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AVATAR!**

**So yeah, like I said this was going to be my big thing for a while. So here is the next chapter. I hope it's longer than the first one. Enjoy.**

**Tenneyshoes**

Toph sat behind the sheet and groaned. The last of her suitors had finally left. No wonder her parents had the day scheduled for suitors. She would finally be through all of the nitwits when she was sixteen, IF she was lucky. There were far too many boys in the world.

Toph stood and walked through the halls of her home. Or prison. Whichever you wanted to call it. The princess walked into her room and dropped on her bed. She lay there for over an hour, not moving.

Toph was an inch from sleep. In the world that isn't really awake, but not asleep either.

Toph jumped as her shoulder was jostled. The young princess sat up and found one of her Shadow Guards. The young princess realized it was the next day. She had slept through dinner the past night, and hadn't woken up till now.

"What do you want?" asked the princess annoyed. She just wanted to sleep. "No one is attacking me."

"Princess, the other royals are here."

Toph bolted into a sitting position. She was finally going to see her friends. She had missed them dearly, and now she got to not only see them, but scheme with Teo on the best way to sneak them all out.

Toph ran into the throne room only to be tackled by Katara and Azula. The two older princesses were practically Toph's older sisters. Really close older sisters.

Toph finally pushed the other girls off her, was bombarded again, this time by Zuko and Sokka, her adoptive over protective older brothers. Toph needed a little help getting the guys off. Seeing this, Azula and Katara obliged, pulling their respective brothers off the young girl.

"It's so good to see all of you," Toph exclaimed excitedly.

"You too." This was said by all the other royal children.

Toph ran over to the adults and jumped into the arms of the nearest of her adoptive uncles.

This happened to be Lord Iroh. The Fire Lord passed the blind girl to his brother, Lord Ozai. Ozai and Iroh were ruling the Fire Nation together. They were always close as kids, and decided that they would split the ruling of their nation between the two. But they never made a decision without the other's consent. This kept the country closer that most would think. With two rulers, it was easier and faster to sort out problems, with two Lords they could get things done twice as fast.

After getting a hug from Ozai (Yes he is OOC too, he is good.) Toph was turned over to King Hakoda. Katara and Sokka's father ruled over the Southern Water Tribe while King Arnook ruled the Northern Tribe.

Toph hugged her parents before asking if her, and the others could be excused. The adults said yes and the kids turned to leave. Toph's spirits dropped as she felt her Shadow Guards start to follow her. She stopped when she heard her father tell them to leave her be.

She glanced blindly at Teo, who was equally confused. Toph was in shock, so much that all she heard of her father's explanation was that she was with the others and she couldn't get into danger or trouble with them close by.

Oh how wrong they were.

The kids all sat in a circle in Toph's room. Teo and Toph were explaining the plan to get them all out of the palace walls so they could go and see Toph fight in the tournament.

"So does everyone understand the plan?" Teo asked one final time as the group walked out onto Toph's balcony.

After receiving nods from all of them, Toph widened her relaxed stance and lifted her arms slowly. She made a quick awkward jab and the group was sent plummeting down at a controlled pace. After reaching the ground level, everyone stepped off the section of balcony and Toph raised it back to the normal level, making it look as if it had never been moved.

The group snuck out to the outer wall of the palace, avoiding all the guards thanks to Toph's unique sight.

Upon reaching the wall, Toph rammed her fists into the wall, making a doorway for the children to walk through.

Toph smirked as she walked into the arena. Her friends that didn't come here regularly looked around in awe. She lead them to a safe place in the stands and waited for the newest challenger to appear.

While Toph waited for the new challenger to appear, she noticed two pairs of amazingly light footsteps. She turned her head to her left and heard a young boy talking.

"Gyotso, do you think I could beat this champion person?" the boy's voice sounded about the same age as Toph.

"I don't know Aang. I'm sure you could. You are a very clever Airbender." The old man calmly sat down next to the bouncing boy.

_Airbender, huh? Haven't seen one of them in a long while. Maybe I will be able to get him to challenge me later._ Toph thought, her smirk growing more prominent.

"Gyotso?" Toph was brought out of her thoughts by the boy's voice again. "Do you think if I won the tournament, I could meet the princess?"

Toph's liking of the boy lowered a considerable amount.

"I don't know. Maybe that is a perk of being the champion. You are allowed to meet the princess."

"I hope so," the boy continued. "I would love to meet her. I would giver her a piece of my mind." They boy's voice had changed from one of adoration to one of anger.

"I mean, what kind of ruler can't bend? That's a stupid law. Why would you want a ruler who couldn't protect you, or lead your troops in to battle? Why does the Earth Kingdom want some prissy, whiny, stuck-up, spoiled princess who can't defend herself? It doesn't make sense."

Toph was pulled from her eavesdropping fest by Katara roughly shaking her shoulder. "It's about to start! Can you believe it? Oh this is so exciting!" Obviously Katara didn't get out much.

The tournament was set up like any other. The challenger had to fight his way through multiple levels of fighters until he reached the champion stage. That was Toph's cue to step into the ring.

The group of friends waited excitedly as the first challenger stepped into the ring.

"All right all you Element Clash fans. Here is our first challenger. Please welcome… THUNDER! This brave earthbender thinks he can make it all the way to the champion and take the throne of Element Clash." This introduction was received with many boos and catcalls from the crowd.

Toph smiled. People, apparently, were very loyal to her.

Toph tuned out the battle. The guy was a big burly man. Stupid and arrogant. She would beat him in one move, if he was lucky, she would give him two. But maybe she would have some fun and draw it out. It depended on how she felt.

Toph was jolted from her thoughts, by the gong announcing that Thunder had miraculously made it through all of the levels, and it was now her turn.

"And now, I introduce to you, our champion for the past eight years, the one and only Forbidden Prodigy!" The crowed cheered and screamed for Toph to take her place on the arena floor. So she did.

The blind earthbender stood from her spot and brushed off her pants.

"Where are you going?" Toph turned to the Airbender boy. "The champion is about to come out and you're leaving?"

Toph just smirked at the boy before saying, "I have to leave my seat." After receiving a puzzled look from the boy, Toph crouched. She slammed her fists into the ground, jumping, and effectively launching herself into the middle of the arena floor.

Teo smiled as he watched his best friend jump into the arena floor.

"Yeah, GO PRODIGY!" Teo looked over at Sokka. He really fit in here. He looked just like the crazed Element Clash fan. Just like every other person that surrounded the group of friends.

"Do you actually know the champion?"

Teo turned to the boy that had spoken. The boy was bald and bald and had light blue arrows tattooed on his head and arms.

"Yeah. I've known her my whole life. Best earthbender I've ever seen too. None one has beaten her since she was six."

"That's a load of crap," the boy scoffed.

"If you think you can beat her why don't you challenge her after she beats the heck out of this guy? If you're as good as you say you are, it should be no problem."

"Alright I will."

"Bet ya three copper pieces you can't beat her."

"Alright. Deal." The two boys shook hands and turned back to the match. Toph was just standing there.

Toph stood relaxed. She didn't want to tense up. That was bad.

"Why is this little girl in the ring? Where is the real champion? Where is this Forbidden Prodigy? They are supposed to be the best earthbender in the Earth Kingdom. I was promised a fight with him and I want it now!" Thunder boomed up to the announcer.

"Hey moron!" Toph cupped her hands around her mouth so the man could hear her. She realized that she didn't need to amplify her voice. The arena had gone as silent as an empty tomb. "Are you blind? I thought I was the only blind bender." A few people in the crowd gasped. Obviously Newbs to the whole Element Clash experience. "Well, if you want me to prove that I'm as good as my fans have said, why don't you make the first move?"

"Gladly." Thunder shifted his weight and kicked up chunks of stone. He jumped up and kicked them all at Toph in turn.

Toph crouched, shifting her hands, forcing a wall of earth to appear out of nowhere.

Gyotso frowned. The girl was obviously a talented bender. But she was blind and there was something off about the way she fought.

"What is it Gyotso?"

The old man shook his head before saying, "I'm not sure. There's just something off about the way she fights. It's off beat. She also seems to have a different style. She stays lower to the ground. Not a lot of jumps. Just a lot of kicks, stomps, and hand movements. It's almost like she was never formally trained."

"That's because she wasn't."

The old man and his pupil turned to see the boy in the wheelchair.

"What do you mean she wasn't. No one gets that good at bending without formal training," Aang frowned. How could a blind girl be so good at bending. She shouldn't even be able to walk without a stick. Let alone be a champion bender for eight years at one of the toughest arenas in the world.

"Prodigy does. She has never had a teacher other than herself. That's why her style is different, why she stays so low to the ground."

"Why does her teaching herself how to bend make her style low to the ground?" Aang was obviously still very confused.

"She's blind, so she uses vibrations in the ground to see. So if she has a lot of jumps, she can't see. If she's in the air, she can't pick up the vibrations. If she can't pick up vibrations she can't see, if she can't see, she can't win."

Aang looked back out to the girl in the middle of the ring. She was slowly moving around Thunder. Thunder seemed to be getting annoyed. That meant he was going to get reckless.

Too late. The imbecile charged the young bender. The girl straightened up. She kicked her foot into the ground, her toes digging into the dirt. Five spires shot out of the ground, all connecting to make on large pillar that hammered into the man. Thunder was launched out of the ring into the wall.

Toph smiled as she felt the man charge her. She kicked her foot, willing the ground to do what she wanted it to.

The man was out cold before he hit the wall.

Toph smirked, raising her fist into the air, receiving a roar of cheers.

"Now that the newbs have seen Prodigy in action, is there anyone who wishes to test his or her hand? Anyone who thinks themselves enough to take out the eight year champion?"

Aang turned to look at the boy he had made the bet with. The kid jerked his head in the direction of the ring. Aang took a deep breath before standing and jumping into the ring.

Toph spun around to look blindly at the boy. "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna win a bet."

"Well then, I suggest we get on with it."

"I agree. But you're gonna lose this time."

"What makes you think that?" Toph tilted her head to the side.

"Your buddy told me how you bend." The boy smirked.

"TEO!! I'm gonna KILL you when I'm done with this."

Toph tapped her foot on the ground. She didn't pick up his vibrations.

"It seems we have an Airbender. He may fair a little better then our other challengers, but he probably doesn't stand a chance." The announcer's voice boomed through the arena.

Toph new he must be using an old Airbender trick. She had heard that they could practically fly with their bending. That's where the inventor got the idea for Teo's glider. The old Airbenders.

Toph stood in the middle of the arena floor, waiting for her chance.

_Ha, she can't find me. Thanks Teo._ Aang was quite cocky on his air-scooter.

At least until he was launched into the air.

Teo smiled in the stands. Toph may not be able to see the stupid little Airbender on his little Airball, but she always came up with clever ways to fix things that her sight prevented doing, like seeing the Airbender boy on his ball.

Toph had launched the entire arena floor, except a small square where she was standing, up to the ceiling. She could feel the Airbender boy trapped between the floor and the ceiling of the cavern. She grinned.

Toph stomped her foot down, encasing the boy in a coffin of earth, except his head, and brought the floor back to where it was.

She walked over to the boy and bent down so she could practically whisper.

"Did I lose?" Toph tilted her head as she knelt next to the trapped boy.

"How did you do that?" the boy was shocked that the blind girl had still beaten him.

"The same way I beat everyone. Earthbending." Toph stood as the gong was rung. She stomped her foot releasing the boy before holding out her hand to help him up.

Toph turned and jumped, launching herself up to stand next to Teo. Aang followed. Upon reaching the stand by the champion and her friend, he saw Toph in quite a mood.

"You moron! How could you tell him how I saw, and then make a bet with him?! How could you tell him the one chink in my armor and then tell him to fight me?!"

Toph stood over Teo, her arm around his chest.

"AH! Toph, cut it out! You still won, didn't you?"

"I don't care. The point is you still told him. That's betrayal to the highest level! You are so dead when we get home."

"Hey, Prodigy," Aang called over to Toph.

"Yeah?" asked the blind girl turning to the Airbender.

"Um… does the Champion get to meet the princess?"

"Not usually. Course there hasn't been a new champion since I was six, and then people didn't really care about seeing the six year old princess, who didn't need to get married in two years. But yeah, here," Toph handed the boy a slip of green paper, "this will get you into the princess's room, and you won't have to talk to her through a sheet. What's your name anyways?"

"Aang. And thanks. So I guess I'll see you later. Bye." With that the boy turned and walked out of the arena with the old man.

**Okay so this was really long, eight pages on Microsoft Word. Wow. Anyways process and reply, you get a cookie upgraded from the size of Canada to the size of Russia. Anyways I have to go get a shower then finish my home work and go to bed. Night guys.**

**Tenneyshoes**


	3. Face to Face

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AVATAR!**

**So yeah. This is the third chapter. I don't really know what else to say. Except I think I'm suffering from Avatar Withdrawal Syndrome. Yeah, I think that's why I started to write fan fiction. Cuz season two ended. Wow. That's kinda pathetic. Yeah. Well, Thanks to my reviewers, TheTwilightRurouni, and PDOD. You guys rock, and get cookies the size of Russia. Anyways I think this author's note has gone on long enough, time to start the actual chapter. Enjoy.**

**Tenneyshoes**

Toph stood out on her balcony, staring blindly up at the sky. Azula and Katara came out and stood on either side of her, looking up to the purple sky.

"What are you thinkin' about?" Katara asked, tearing her eyes away from the beautiful sunset.

The group of friends had gotten back about three hours before dusk, which was actually kind of risky. The friends had just reached the normal level of the balcony when Toph's parents came in to her room, looking for them.

Toph had told the others that she had given Aang the letter, since none of them were paying attention. They were all staring at Sokka like he was a lunatic. The crazy teenager had been talking animatedly about the match between Toph and the Airbender boy.

"Aang. It was weird. I overheard him talking to the old guy. He said he wanted to meet me, and I thought he was just another suitor. Then he said if he got into see the princess, he would like to give her a piece of his mind."

"What do you mean?" Azula asked, not taking her eyes of the sunset.

"He said it was stupid that a kingdom would want a ruler that couldn't bend. One that couldn't lead their armies into battle, or even protect themselves. And I don't get it either. Why would they want that. A ruler that do anything but be a figurehead. Not one of power, that the other nations would respect, just a normal person. And besides, it's not my fault I can bend. Benders aren't made, they're born. I can't help it if I'm a bender."

"I know, but that's why your nation get rulers at a younger age then ours do," Katara said.

"Yeah, the Earth Kingdom doesn't have to take the time to teach their future rulers how to bend. They just have to say okay, you're sixteen, you're married, get your butt on the throne," Azula said resentfully.

Toph smirked. Azula always hated the way the Earth Kingdom set up it's government. But there was some truth to what she said. Most of the young rulers were at least seventeen by the time they took the throne. Never a year older. Unless they were a guy.

"So," Katara turned her eyes back to the horizon, "Do you want this Airbender boy to come?"

"I don't know," Toph said resignedly as she turned and walked back into her room. "I mean, I want to prove him wrong, ya know? Show him that I'm not a spoiled, bratty, defenseless little girl. But I'm not sure that that's what I want. I want him to know I'm an independent princess, but I'm not sure how he would react to the fact that if I've been the champion at Element Clash for eight years, I should have the guts to tell the entire nation, and I don't. What would he think of the great champion then?"

"If he doesn't want to like you then that's his loss," Azula said glowering at the wall, as if the boy in question had done that exact thing and was standing where her eyes were directed.

Katara looked out the still open balcony doors before saying, "Azula, it's late, let's go to bed. We'll see you in the morning Toph, night."

Toph and Azula said their good nights and soon Toph stood alone in her room. She walked over to her bed and fell back onto it, looking blindly up at the ceiling.

_Do I really want him to come? Do I really want him to know that the princess might act tough in the arena, but in reality she's not? That she can't find enough courage to tell her own people what she can really do?_

Toph was jostled from her thoughts by a disturbance on her balcony. A disturbance that was quickly moving into her room.

Toph stood, facing the door trying to figure out who or what it was. She crouched and felt dread. It wasn't that she couldn't take care of herself obviously, but that if this was just a big nutter who wanted to meet the princess, she would be screwed. The peasant, who actually tried to sneak into her room a lot, would know she was an earthbender, and she would be executed by whatever means the people saw necessary.

"YOU!?" It was just the boy, Aang.

Toph relaxed, and stood up straight. "Yes, me. I'm the princess. Did you expect to find a lemur?"

"But, you can bend. Heck, you're the best earthbender I've ever seen!"

"SHHH!!!" Toph ran over the boy and clapped her hand over his mouth. "Would you shut up? I might be an amazing earthbender, but I'm not supposed to be. Not even my Shadow Guards know I can bend. Not even my parents know."

"So why don't you tell them?"

Toph backed away from the boy until they were five feet apart. "I don't know how you air Nomads run your country, but in the Earth Kingdom, I could get _killed_ for bending. Even by my own father. It's the law and he has to uphold it. If the people want me to be killed for being a bender, then my father will have to have me executed. He may be the king, but he doesn't have more power then the country."

"But an entire _arena_ knows you can bend," argued the boy.

"But they don't know I'm the princess. To those people I'm just Prodigy. And when Prodigy isn't at the arena, she doesn't exist. She doesn't rule, the princess does."

Aang started at the girl in front of him. She wasn't the girl he had met in the arena. She was just a helpless little princess. Not the powerful, unstoppable bender. Just the little girl.

"How can you be afraid? You go into that arena, and you fight the strongest benders in the _world_! Why can't you tell your people, or at least your parents who you really are?"

"Look. I can't tell my people, because they will want me to be killed. I can't tell my parents because my dad would rather disown me, than chance loosing the throne. If he knows I can bend, and there is a chance for someone to find out, he will take me out to the middle of nowhere and abandon me. He'll find a new girl to play my part, and no one would ever know the difference, except she would love the suitors. No one has ever seen me. Not as the princess. Only my shadow guards my parents, the servants, and the other royals. And none of them would tell the rest of the Kingdom that my father as good as killed me if I suddenly disappeared. The only person that would, is Teo. The other royals wouldn't know about it until they came back on my sixteenth birthday. The servants and Shadow Guards wouldn't risk their jobs to save a princess who can bend. And no one would believe a fourteen year old boy in a wheelchair."

Aang stared at the girl in amazement. She faced so much danger, just because she was born a bender to the royal family of the Earth Kingdom.

"No one would know I ever existed. No one except the people that couldn't do anything about it, or the people that didn't care."

Toph walked out onto her balcony. Aang followed the blind girl and watched her lean against the railing running around the edge.

"Toph, they are your parents. They wouldn't do that to you."

"You would be surprised what the thought of power can do to some people. My father actually believes that the king has power and influence in the Earth Kingdom. He doesn't realize that the king is nothing more than a figurehead if they have absolutely no power. All the king does is stand on a pedestal. He's there for moral support, if even that. The king has no power, but my father thinks he has all of it. And that thought is what would drive him to try to keep the Bei Fong name on the throne. Even if it's not his biological daughter."

"Then you have to find a way to change that law. If you can do that, you can rule without worrying about being found out and killed. The question is how."

"Aang, you're a genius!"

"How?" asked the boy, drawing out the word, cautiously.

"If I can get married, or better yet fake, a marriage, then I can get on the throne, and change that dang law. It's brilliant, brilliant, brilliant. The question is who to do it with. Teo wouldn't work, he's my best friend. It would have to be someone that no one knew about. Some one who could pretend to be an Earth Kingdom noble."

Toph stood with her hand on her chin, before turning to Aang with an amazingly scary look on her face.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

**Okay so this isn't really working out how I want it to right now, but don't worry, I will get it to work how I want it to. And I might start this new project really soon, but I'm gonna write another story that's like the yin yang partner to this story. It's if Aang was the prince and Toph wasn't. So process and reply, depending on how long your review is you are allowed to bake a cookie varying from the size of Cuba to the size of Russia. There's your motivation. Have fun guys, later!**

**Tenneyshoes**


	4. AN and Poll

**Okay so I know I haven't updated in forever, and I am truly sorry. I think I might have run out of ideas though. No I know that's not true, because I have thinking up a bunch but I just don't know how to put them down. Sorry!!!! Anyways, this is kinda like a poll kind of thing. You guys are supposed to hurry and tell me what you want me to do with both FP and NOJY. Tell me what you want to happen with both, and I will take the idea that I like the most, or I think I can do without butchering your amazing ideas. I will try to do all of them, but I don't know if I can. The main thing I know I want to happen in NOJY is do you want me to do more with the twins as kids or like so many years later. See that's my big problem, I know where I want the story to go, I just don't know how to get there. So review with answers for both, or just one and I will update with a real chapter. And I will say the idea is yours don't worry. Anyways thank you for being so patient and not coming in an angry mob to kill me. **

**Tenneyshoes**


	5. New head of security

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AVATAR!**

**I am SO happy! Morgomir! You are amazing! First off, you are the only one that gave me an idea for a plot. I am however adding to it, hopefully I can start it at the end of this chapter, but I kinda need to add in Toph's plan. So for the most part, this is Morgomir's idea, but they say they stink at writing, which I highly doubt by the way, so I am being graciously allowed to use their plot (sorry I don't know if you're a guy or girl) And now I'm really happy so, ONWARD!**

It had been a week since Katara, Sokka, Zuko, Azula, Iroh, Ozia, and Hakoda had gone back to their respective nations. Toph and Aang had convinced Gyotso to let them pull this little stunt.

Toph's plan was to have Aang pose as the Prince of the Airbenders. No one would oppose him because the Airbenders were easily the most powerful of the Nations. They not only controlled the skies but the very air people breathed. Rumors often spread that they had an elite force of assassins, ready to hunt down and kill anyone who threatened them. However, that was very far-fetched seeing as the Airbenders were the most peaceful of all the Nations.

So Aang was to pose as the prince, and Toph would fall for him. She would claim that Aang was the only suitable man for her to marry, and that wasn't going to change in two years.

And it didn't. For two years, the two kids, along with Teo often went to Element Clash, the boys watching as Toph ran every opponent straight into the dirt, literally.

Toph and Aang still had their little meeting things between a sheet, but the young Airbender often snuck into the princess's room to meet and discuss new additions to the plan.

Toph stood from her seat by the sheet while Aang, on the other side, was escorted out of the palace. She was walking through the halls toward the dining room.

Toph sat in the middle of the giant marble table and picked up an apple from the bowl sitting next to her.

The blind girl turned towards the door behind her as her parents came through with a stranger. Toph tilted her head, trying to figure out what a stranger would be doing in the palace, without someone having told her first. She was always hidden away or shielded from sight when anyone but the guards, servants, or Royal family was in the palace.

"Ah, there she is. Toph please come over here." Toph's father seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood today.

"Toph, this is Long Feng. He is the new head of security." Toph's mother said, looking extremely happy that her daughter would be under more supervision.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you princess. Your highness," the new man, Long Feng, turned toward Lao "I have some new ideas for the princess's safety."

"Oh do tell!" The king was acting like a little kid at Christmas who had gotten far too many toys that would be used for about a week and then left and forgotten for many years until they were later found by children who had long forgotten the ancestor who they were originally for. (Sorry that was a really long metaphor)

"I believe the princess is too exposed."

"How is that possible? She had never left the palace. She only has ever seen the servants, guards, us, the inventor and Teo." Toph's mother said in confusion.

"Exactly. The princess may be hidden safely from the world, but that boy and his father are free to roam the city. They could go blabbing about the princess and how to reach her to anyone. I propose that the boy and his father be removed from the palace."

"What?!" Toph's screech was deafening. "No! You will NOT take away my one friend! Teo is the only thing keeping my sane in this giant bird cage!"

"Princess, I know you must think that he is your friend, but the boy could very easily blab to anyone that he knows the beautiful princess of the Earth Kingdom just to get his five minutes of fame."

"Teo isn't like that. He keeps my biggest secrets. He wouldn't go blabbing to people that he can get them in to see me. He holds my safety as a higher priority than I do."

"No princess. It isn't safe. I'm sorry, but he is a danger to you."

"I agree Long Feng." Toph stared at her father with glassy green eyes. How could he be saying that? He had watched Teo grow up just as much as he had Toph. "I'm sorry daughter, but the boy is a danger. I never saw him as one, but he is a teenage boy and he would do anything to be seen as important in the eyes of a pretty girl."

Toph shook her head, blind eyes still locked on her father. The young princess turned and ran from the room. As she turned the corner she heard her father say to a servant, "Please find the Inventor and Teo. Bring them here."

Toph slammed the door to her room.

"What's going on?"

Toph jumped at the voice. She still couldn't get used to the fact that Aang's voice had grown deeper. It never cracked anymore either.

Toph walked over and sat next to the young Airbender, leaning her head on his shoulder. Aang wrapped his arm around Toph's shoulders before the blind girl began to speak.

"There's a new head of security." Toph sniffed and whipped the tears falling down her face.

"Hardly a reason to cry I think." Aang whipped a stray tear off of the young princess's cheek.

That same old feeling ran through Toph again. It always did now days. Whenever Aang touched her, this odd feeling ran through her. She couldn't explain it. It was just a sense of security really. Whenever Aang hugged her she felt safe. Like nothing could ever hurt her. Not because she was an amazing earthbender, but because Aang would protect her. Was she falling for him?

"That's not all of it. He plans on throwing Teo and the Inventor out of the palace."

"What?! He can't possibly do that. Your father would never allow it." Aang was staring at Toph in complete astonishment.

"Yes he would. He said he agrees that Teo is a danger to my safety. They think he would blab to some girl in the city that he could get her in to see the princess. Just for five minutes of fame in some girl's eyes."

"He would never do that!" Aang was outraged. Teo was probably more worried about Toph's safety than everyone in the palace, except for him. Aang knew no one could care about Toph more than him. Yes he loved her, and he was dang proud of it. He really just wished that this whole plan could be real. He wished that the marriage they planned to fake wouldn't be fake. But he didn't dare tell Toph. He knew she was independent, and she couldn't possibly love an airhead like him.

"We have to move the wedding up." Toph stood and started pacing.

"What? Move the wedding up?" Aang stared at his blind friend, confused.

"Yes, the sooner I get on the throne, the sooner I can change the bending law, and get rid of Long Feng."

The wedding was scheduled for the beginning of next year, but Toph wanted it to be sooner. She didn't want to go half a year without seeing Teo except the five minutes before and after she fought at Element Clash.

"I need to blow off some steam. Let's go to Element Clash."

Aang smiled. Toph always wanted to fight when she was frustrated.

The two friends snuck out of the palace to the underground arena. They sat in an empty part of the stands and watched the man in the ring.

"Hmm. This guy is actually pretty good. He's patient, calm, and powerful. He would probably make for a good fight." Toph was observing the man while Aang just stared at her face.

The man took out his opponent easily. The defeated waterbender slumped out of the ring. The proud firebender raised his twin broad swords in the air receiving a large chorus of applause.

Toph stood and jumped into the ring. The man turned and stared at her. This was the champion? A sixteen year old blind girl, who was so short she could pass as a thirteen year old. The man shrugged. A fight was a fight.

---

Toph stood up from the dirt floor of the arena. She softly touched a large gash in her right forearm. How on earth had he gotten that close?

Toph decided she had played with him long enough. She stomped her foot into the ground raising a pillar under the firebender. The pillar bent and threw the man into the moat around the arena floor.

Toph walked out of the arena meeting up with Aang outside.

"That was great! You haven't put that much spirit into fighting in a long time." Aang was ecstatic.

"Yeah, well, I haven't been this pissed off in a long time either. We'd better get back to the palace and patch up my arm." Toph was holding an old rag to her arm trying to halt the bleeding as much as possible.

--

The next morning Toph walked into the dining room for breakfast intending to talk to her parents about the wedding. She was still steamed about Teo being thrown out, but he was staying with Aang and Gyotso, so he was taken care of.

"Mom, dad?" Toph asked sitting beside her father, waiting for him to respond.

"Yes?" Her father didn't even look up from his food.

I was hoping we could talk about the wedding." Toph said in a small voice, trying to seem like this was just a nice little conversation. A girl fantasizing about her wedding.

"What is it dear?"

"Well, I was hoping we could move it forward a little. Like in two months?"

Toph's father choked on his soup. "Two months? A little anxious aren't we daughter?"

"Well, I really, really like Aang. And I want to help rule. Please."

"Alright. We will have to talk to Prince Aang though. This concerns him as much as you." Lao said turning back to his soup.

"Thank you daddy!" Toph squealed. As soon as she was out of the room, she jumped up and down.

"What exactly are you doing princess?"

Toph spun around to find Long Feng.

"My wedding has been moved forward." Toph stood still. She hated this guy. She didn't trust him. "Aang and I shall be married before the year is out."

"O believe me princess, you will be married before the year is out, but not to that _peasant boy_."

**Okay so here is a cliffhanger. Morgomir do you think I can tie this into your thing. I hope I can, I finally have an idea. THANK YOU! Anyways, tell me what you think guys. Any good? Please do tell, if you do you get a cookie the size of the Earth Kingdom! So review. These ones are Oreos. Thanks guys!**

**Tenneyshoes**


	6. Shadow fan?

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN AVATAR!**

**So MoaningMomoMormon, you are now my best friend. You have reviewed every chapter of my stories, and you love Harry Potter, Avatar, and are Mormon! That makes you my best friend. So anyways, I'm really sorry I haven't updated in forever, I went to ****girl's**** camp and we did a service project where we pulled up thistles for like an hour and a half. There were like a billion of them, I kid you not. I got the biggest ****Mormon**** tan line in the history of ****Mormons****. My neck got burnt way way bad and now I'm peeling really bad, just thought you would like to know that, so anyways, enjoy this chapter guys.**

Toph went numb. How the crap did he know? The words just kept repeating in her head.

_Oh, believe me princess, you will be married before the year is out, but not to that _peasant _boy._

"What do you mean, 'peasant boy'? Aang is the only son and living royal to the Airbenders. I hardly think he is a peasant."

"Come now princess, you and I both know that that boy is nothing more than an insignificant pawn in my game."

"Oh so now it's your game? You just got here, I'm still in control of everything." Toph stared blindly at the man. She smirked in satisfaction as she felt him start to squirm under her blind stare.

"You may be in control now, but that will soon change." The man then turned on his heel, leaving the young princess shell-shocked.

Toph sprinted to her room barreling through the doors. She growled at the empty room.

"Where are you airhead?"

"Princess?"

Toph spun. One of her shadow guards stood before her, his face contorted in confusion. "Who are you talking to?"

"Um…" Toph's brain scrambled for a story, coming up with nothing.

"I suggest you don't yell for the Airbender princess. If someone else had been tracking you tonight you would be in some deep trouble."

Toph stared at the man. He was actually very young, only a few years older than her. "You know?" If the shadow really did know he wouldn't have to ask what he knew.

"Just consider yourself lucky that no one else in the palace is an Element Clash fan."

"Thank you. You wouldn't happen to know where the Airbender is, would you?"

"I'm afraid I don't. I am sorry princess."

"No it's okay, so you're okay with a royal being able to bend?"

The guards smiled before beginning a long story about a resistance.

--

Lao sat in his throne room looking over plans for the much closer then expected wedding. He looked up at the sound of the door opening. Long Feng stepped around the door, making his way toward the king.

"Your Highness." Long Feng made a low bow making the king wonder how his little hat stayed on his head.

"Long Feng, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?"

"I am concerned about the marriage between your daughter, and the Air Nomad's prince." Long Feng's brow was creased in worry, it was obvious to the king that the other man had been up for countless nights worrying about whatever was troubling him.

"Well, do tell. What are your concerns?"

"No doubt you have heard the rumors of the Air Nomads. The ones of the assassins. How they plan to take over the Earth Kingdom. Think about how this boy could take advantage of your daughter. While he is not of direct decent from the Earth Kingdom, he can do nothing. The princess would hold all the power you would be giving up. But the boy could use your daughter as a pawn. Your daughter is a small helpless blind girl. She could easily be manipulated to do the Air Nomads' bidding." Long Feng looked truly worried.

"You actually think that the boy would take advantage of my daughter?" After receiving a nod, the king continued. "What do you propose be done to avoid this situation?"

"Forget this treaty with the Airbenders. Allow me to marry your daughter. I have pure Earth Kingdom blood flowing through me. I would never _dream_ of manipulation your daughter. She would keep her power. I would be nothing but a guide. Helping her where it is needed."

"You? Marry the princess? Well, it would keep the kingdom safe from those airbending fools. Very well. You shall marry my daughter."

--

Aang almost fell from the roof. The young nomad had been sitting in the rafters of the throne room. He didn't trust Long Feng, and he knew he was up to something. He just had to find out what. Apparently that was to marry Toph. And he was going to get it.

How could the king even _think_ of letting this creep marry Toph? _His _Toph?

Aang sat in the rafters for three and a half hours, thinking over what he had heard. He was going to loose Toph. They planned to arrest him and charge him for treason against the king. All because he was an Airbender. Talk about stereo-typing. He had to get to Toph and tell her about all of this.

So finally after three and a half hours of Long Feng and the king talking about Toph happily marrying Long Feng, the two stood and left the room being followed by Aang.

The young Airbender ran to Toph's room, only having to slow down twice because he ran into guards or servants carrying dirty bed sheets. Aang knocked on Toph's door and stood waiting for it to open. The door was almost immediately opened by one of Toph's shadow guards.

The guard stared at Aang with one brow raised watching the rigid teenager before moving to the side to let the short princess through.

"Where have you been Twinkle Toes? Ah hey, I am talking to you. Answer me now before I bend you out of the Earth Kingdom!"

"LongFengwantstomarryyouandtheywanttoarrestmefortreasonandLongFengwantsallthepower-"

"Aang. Aang, calm down. Aang. SHUT UP!"

The teenage boy jumped and turned to face the princess.

"Okay, a, I didn't get a word of that, and b, we are in some deep crap, because Long Feng wants to marry me."

"That's what I said. Long Feng wants to marry you and they want to arrest me for treason and Long Feng wants all the power." Aang was trying to catch his breath from his rant.

"Who is, they?"

"Long Feng and your dad. Long Feng convinced him that the Airbenders want to take over the Earth Kingdom.

Aang had finally caught his breath and caught sight of the Shadow guard. "Um, Toph? Care to explain?"

"This, is Marrow. Apparently he's part of some group that thinks Royals should be able to bend. He is going to help us after I take the throne. If that ever happens now, thanks to Long Feng." Toph bitterly jumped onto her bed, her arms folded across her chest.

"I don't know what we are going to do. We're only teenagers. What can we do?" Aang asked as he sat next to Toph, his brow furrowed on confusion.

"Okay, we still have till my dad actually announces that I have to marry Long Feng. Technically I don't know that yet, so we can brainstorm till then."

**Okay so since this is kinda done, I'm just going to end it here. Again I am really sorry that I haven't updated in forever. I got on this big Naruto craze, but there aren't anymore episodes in English right now so I'm kinda done with that. However school just started. Today was my second day, and I am dead tired because I had early morning Seminary, which starts at 7:00 and I didn't fall asleep till like 2:30, so I am really tired, and I have decided I hate disclosures. They are the biggest pain in the neck ever! Anyways, I will try to update soon but you guys have to give me five reviews first. That's all I'm asking for is five. It's not that hard, really it's not. So anyways have fun with school; guys.**

**Tenneyshoes**


	7. The wedding

**Disclaimer: ****I don't own avatar, but if I did, Katara would stop kissing Aang on the cheek and Toph would hang on to Aang and not Sokka!**

**Check it out guys I'm still alive! It's great. Yeah so the quarter just ended in school, and let me just say my honors English class stinks! Anyways Happy late Halloween! Yeah So I still don't know what I want to do in my stories, well I do but I don't know how to get to those parts, it kinda stinks. Anyways Mumy-chan, your art is ****freaking**** amazing and you really need to put up chapter four or whatever it was on deviantart, cuz you are amazing and I am now obsessed with that. I really need to get a life, dang! Anyways, I'm gonna try to write this, sorry guys. Enjoy!**

**Tenneyshoes**

**The Wedding**

"I am soo bored. Dad, why did you have to get rid of Teo?" Toph grumbled to her empty room, literally twiddling her thumbs. The young princess had nothing to do. Aang had left with Gyotso, back to the Air Temple. He had to go find his cousin, the Prince, and figure out what was going to happen with the wedding. They still weren't sure if they were going to make this both a romantic and political move, or if they were just going to tell the world Aang wasn't really the prince.

The sixteen year old turned her head as she felt Marrow walk up to her door and knock.

"Come in," was the short reply.

"Princess," Marrow bowed formally, not at all the same person he had been two hours ago when He Toph and Aang were discussing what to do while Aang was gone. "Your father would like to speak with you."

"Fine, tell him I'll be there in five minutes." Toph jumped off her bed as the shadow guard left the room. She walked over to her vanity and picked up her engagement ring, just a simple silver band with a square diamond in the middle. Aang had given it to her just before he left.

The young princess walked into the meeting hall, taking her time to walk up to her chair on the left of her father's throne. As she sat down, draping her legs over the side, her father turned to her and spoke.

"Toph, you are getting married tonight."

The girl in question, promptly fell out of her chair, having positioned herself on the edge to begin with. Toph stood and rubbed her backside, before turning to her father and as calmly as possible asking, "What are you talking about? Aang is at the Air Temple and he won't be back until tomorrow. Besides we decided we the wedding wouldn't be until next month."

"You aren't marrying that boy. You are going to marry Long Feng, now I suggest you go and get ready, the wedding is in four hours."

"WHAT!? I am NOT marrying him! Why on EARTH would you EVER set me up with him!? He's almost thirty if not more years older then me, and he just wants to take the power that you think exists." Toph struggled as two shadow guards grabbed either of her arms. "No! Let go of me!"

Her pleas fell upon deaf ears.

* * *

Toph stumbled as she was shoved through the doors to her room. She used her momentum to spin on her heel and slammed her fist on the door just as it banged shut.

Toph whirled around as she heard a chattering. "Momo!" Toph sprinted over to the lemur sitting on the ledge of her balcony.

"Momo, I need you to take a message to Aang, as fast as you can! Hang on one sec. Marrow!"

Toph tapped her foot as she waited for the shadow to appear. The young man stepped through the door to her room nota minute after she had called him, this man defiantly deserved the title Shadow guard.

"Marrow I need you to write something for me. Please!" Toph begged as she ran up to her newest friend.

"What? Toph what's wrong? What did your father want?"

"He wanted to tell me I'm getting married tonight." Toph yelled as she turned and started to pace her room.

"Wait, Aang's not back, how can you marry someone when you aren't in the same place?" Marrow asked, missing the whole point.

"Exactly Marrow. I'm not going to marry Aang tonight, I'm marrying Long Feng. I need you to write a letter to Aang. I need to tell him to get back her now."

Marrow immediately sat down at Toph's unneeded desk and began to write what the princess told him.

* * *

Toph sucked in a deep breath. She was getting married in five minutes to some evil, conniving… Thing. And her real fiancé and guy she had a major crush on was in another country( that's what she thinks). It was starting to look like she was going to have to use her plan. Dang it. She really didn't want to do it like this.

* * *

Toph stood behind the curtain. She stood before a huge golden arch, a light white veil hanging in front of her. On the other side, stood not only her parents, shadow guards, Long Feng, and some random priest, but her entire country. Everyone had turned out to see the wedding of their princess… And she didn't have a way of covering her face.(They don't use veils) As soon as she stepped through that veil, every person that had seen her fight, would know she had lied to every one of them.

Well, get ready for the torch and pitchforks, she told herself silently.

The blind girl stepped forward confidently, the white veil in front of her parting in the middle to let her pass. She paused for half a minute, letting everyone that was in range see her.

This was the first time anyone had ever seen her, as a princess that is. The predictable gasp spread through the crowd, before one man had the guts enough to voice what many were thinking.

"That's the Forbidden Prodigy!"

Toph walked up to Long Feng and stood next to him, but when he reached for her hand, she slapped it away.

The priest gathered his wits before starting to speak. "Do you both come here of your own free will?"

"Yes" Long Feng said confidently.

Everyone waited. Only one answer had come. The man who had yelled stared at his princess. She really was frail. At least, she was when she was dressed up like that. It was such a contrast, looking at the princess, and then putting her next to the picture of the bending champion. How could that girl and the champion be the same person? How could such contrasting people exist in the same body?

Everyone waited, all eyes on the princess as she lifted her head, her blind eyes boring holes into the priest as she opened her mouth and said in a voice that didn't fit the picture of the girl standing in front of them all, a strong voice, one that a princess would never have.

"No."

Long Feng turned to stare at the girl next to him. "What are you saying? You will marry me." The man spoke in a deadly whisper.

"No I won't." Toph's voice grew even stronger then before, she didn't seem to care about their audience, and she probably didn't.

"I will not marry you, I will marry whoever I want, and you aren't that guy!"

Long Feng's face contorted into an angry snarl and he raised his fist preparing to strike the girl in front of him. He had forgotten about the entire country being there to witness this.

As he brought his hand down, a pillar of dark stone jutted up, intercepting his hand before it could strike the princess. The entire crowed was in shock, the man and other fans of Prodigy had been whispering about her and the princess being the same person but no one believed them. Until now.

"I'm done. With everything. Including you." Toph shoved her face up to Long Feng's so they were only inches apart as she spoke. She then turned to face the crowd. "In one hour I will make a _very_ important speech at the palace." And with that, Toph turned on her heel and walked back down the isle, through the veil, and off to only she knew where.

* * *

Toph stood on the balcony where her father often made speeches to the masses. Now she was moments away from her first and possibly last.

Toph waited for three minutes before stepping forward so the people could see her. Silence fell almost immediately, everyone wanted to hear this.

"So now you all know I'm a bender. And before you mass me and try to burn me at the stake or something, let me explain. I didn't pick to be a bender, yeah I'm ecstatic beyond belief that I am. But I didn't choose this, it chose me. If any of you are benders, you know you are born that way, you don't just wake up one day and say, I want to be a waterbender. I didn't choose to be a princess. All I want is to change that stupid law. Change that and you can do whatever you want with me and I will go quietly, don't change it and bad things will happen."

**Okay so here is the chapter, I am ending here first cuz I need to think of how to get to the next point and second I need to send NOJY to my friend cuz she can't get on Fanfiction. So talk to you alter guys, Review and you get a cookie shaped like a crown, Oh boy! Bye**

**Tenneyshoes**


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